Former England caretaker boss Peter Taylor has emerged as a surprise contender to lead Nigeria at the World Cup finals this summer after the Super Eagles sacked coach Shaibu Amodu, reports the Daily Mail. Despite finishing third at this year's Africa Cup of Nations, a statement on the Nigeria Football Federation website revealed the organisation's technical committee had been asked to look for a new man after a meeting in Abuja ended Amodu's fourth stint.

And the former Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Wycombe manager Taylor has been placed alongside last season's FA Cup winning Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink and Bayern Munich boss Louis van Gaal among the list of preferred candidates for the job.